ORLANDO, Fla.—Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis, joined by Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris and Guardian ad Litem Executive Director Dennis Moore, hosted a hands-on, healthy cooking class for Hope Florida mentors and mentees. The event showcased the partnership between Hope Florida and the Guardian ad Litem program, which has produced hundreds of mentorship pairings since it was launched in September 2023. More mentors are needed across the state of Florida for those youth aging out of the foster care system.

“As a mom to three young children, I know how important strong role models are to the success of our youth,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “It was heartwarming to spend time cooking with these amazing boys and girls in Florida’s foster program. There is a need for mentors across Florida—with over 100 in the Orlando area. I encourage those with a call to mentorship to apply through Hope Florida.”

The First Lady’s Hope Florida – A Pathway to Promise initiative encourages foster families and youth aging out of foster care to connect with Hope Navigators who can pair them with volunteer mentors who assist with the transition to independent living by offering guidance, motivation, and emotional support.

“It’s incredible to see the difference a mentor makes in the lives of youth aging out of foster care,” said Executive Director Dennis Moore. “It was a pleasure to join First Lady Casey DeSantis and Secretary Harris as we encourage our Hope Florida mentees to live healthy, fulfilling lives. More mentors are needed and we encourage anyone with heart to serve to join this program.”

Since its launch last fall, Hope Florida has paired nearly 900 foster youth with mentors. In the Orlando area, over 100 foster youth are in need of a local mentor. Those interested in learning more about how to become a mentor for foster youth in their local community can visit hopeflorida.com or call 850-300-HOPE.

“Every child should have a mentor to turn to who can help teach them life lessons and be there to guide them into adulthood,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris. “It was great getting to watch our foster youth engage in a fun cooking class with their mentors. We are so fortunate for First Lady Casey DeSantis’ leadership in recruiting more mentors for our youth and continuing to expand opportunities for individuals to give back to their communities.”

Through implementation at multiple state agencies, Hope Florida utilizes Hope Navigators to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity and economic independence by focusing on community collaboration between the private sector, faith-based communities, nonprofits, and government entities. This first-of-its-kind program brings together different parts of the community to maximize support and uncover new opportunities for those going through difficult times. Hope Navigators help individuals identify their needs, develop long-term goals, map out a path forward, and work to ensure all sectors of the community have a ‘seat at the table’ to be part of a lasting solution. One of the main goals of Hope Florida is to help Floridians realize economic self-sufficiency. As such, Hope Florida is estimated to save the State of Florida nearly $800 million over 10 years.

Floridians who are in need of support or foster youth in need of a mentor can connect with Hope Florida by visiting www.HopeFlorida.com or calling the Hope Line (850-300-HOPE).

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